On Saturday evening February 6th , the Harbormen of Hingham High School rolled into the Olympia for a 6pm date with the Panthers of Cathedral High School. Hingham had posted a 15-1-1 record and Cathedral had arrived at 12-2-3 , which only meant the crowd that had assembled would probably be entertained with a good high school hockey game.

Neither team would disappoint on this night.

But before the tussle of two of the top ranked teams in Division 1 would take place, a meaniful tribute was announced over the PA. On January 23rd Sophomore Matt Brown of Norwood HS was critically injured with 2 fractures to his vertabrae.Every home team in Massachusetts was asked to support a 50/50 raffle on Saturday on behalf of Matt and his recovery.

I am happy to report that the fans and patrons of this game raised a total of $746.00 which will be given to the family of Matt Brown.On behalf of Cathedral High School, THANK YOU to those that contributed to this worthy cause, we wish Matt a full recovery and we keep him in our thoughts and prayers.

As you would imagine, both teams were amped up to play and the 1st puck was dropped to set the tempo. As both teams exchanged offensive threats you could sense neither team wanted to be the first to bend.Play was physical and intense. Everyone in the building knew it would be a tight game and mistakes would cost you.. At the 3:54 mark of the 1st period , Junior foward Tim Driscoll took full advantage of a Panther miscue in thier own zone and planted one in the Cathedral twine. Just 6 minutes later Senior Co-Captain Conor Coveney broke in 2 on 1 and recieved a nice feed from Tom Trogele and deked Goalie PJ Damario for a 2 goal lead which is how the period ended.

As the 2nd period began Cathderal appeared determined to get back in the game. Thier skating impoved and the body checks were being doled out like lollipops at the bank.Finally at the 10:10 mark ( which is poignent ) # 10 Brendan Moore took a pass behind the net  from Frank Crinella and smoothly wrapped the bisquit past Hingham goalie Derek McInnis.Several chances in the closing seconds on the period went  array and the period closed with the Harbormen clinging to a 1 goal lead.

As the 3rd period began both teams worked the puck well on breakouts and the neutral zone looked like a bus stop during the middle of rush hour in downtown Boston, congested. Would either team relinquish the territory ? The question was answered @ 9:20 when Brenden Geary buried a snap shot into the yawning net for a tie game.Would it stay tied...it appeared so until the other Senior Co-Captain Eric Sherman found himself at the doorstep of the Cathedral net with 1 minute left in the period and ripped a shot in.....3-2 Hingham.  Just like that , it appeared Cathedral had lost it's opportunity to win a key game at home.

After a timeout and subsequent icing which had it gone in with the net empty would have sealed the game , Cathedral had a faceoff in the Hingham end.

Just like you draw it up on the board at practice...win the faceoff, feed the slot man , get off a quality shot...Mickey Foley won the draw to Sean Pighetti who directed a touch pass to Austin Orszulak who faded back tapped the puck once to settle it down and sent a screaming rocket at the net....it richochet off the crossbar and into the promised land ...game tied @ 3 with 17 seconds remaining..an epic finish to a monmumental game for both teams.

The crowd for both teams filed out knowing they had seen 2 quality teams battle it out on a sheet of ice...will they see each other again....it could happen, we'll know more in a matter of weeks.